COSRX Blackhead Power Cream- Part I Initial Thoughts

To say I was excited when I received a mysterious package from COSRX, is of course true. To say I was excited when I opened said package, and there lay their brand new, not yet released, Blackhead Power Cream, accompanied by a note saying I was the first person on the planet (including the staff of COSRX) to receive the product, is a huge understatement. I was literally squealing and maybe peed a little, I even called my mum…is it really lame that I get that excitable about a new cream?! Yes, perhaps, but this is the first time something like this has happened to me, and I felt truly honoured to be the first receiving this product.

*I did not purchase this product, I was sent it directly from COSRX. This does not affect my review in any way. All of my reviews reflect my own honest, personal opinions. See my disclaimer or email me for more information.

My first question after I’d calmed down from the initial excitement…what is this cream and what is it supposed to do for me? I was so happy and I didn’t even know what it was..! So here’s the deets.

When to use the cream: Overnight, after you’ve completed your skincare routine

Purpose: To achieve healthier and smoother skin, improve skin texture, inhibit excess oil production, and lock in the moisture.

Use this (according to COSRX) if you:

have lots of blackheads
have uneven pimply skin texture
have very sensitive skin
have uneven skin tone
need deep hydration
have blocked pores

COSRX say the “natural BHA component catalysts skin turnover and accomplishes soft and smooth skin like that of a 3 year old baby”. The cream is pH 4-5 with 4% BHA.

Ingredients

Here is the ingredients list on cosDNA

The first ingredient on the list is Centella Asiatica Leaf Water. I did a little research on this and it came up that this plant extract has been used for many many years in traditional Asian medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties and to aid wound healing. It’s not an ingredient I have knowingly used before, but those properties certainly seem attractive for an overnight cream aiming to clear skin and improve texture.

There are also lots of moisturising agents, which appeal to me to lock in moisture overnight, especially as I soon will be torturing my skin by sleeping with the AC on. However some of the oils may cause concern for some, particularly as a main aim of the cream is unblocking the pores. This is something I have been thinking about as I’ve been testing.

The only potential acne irritants as shown on cosDNA were Butylene Glycol (1), Cetearyl Alcohol (2), Dimethicone (1) and Beeswax (0-2). Cetearyl Alcohol and Beeswax also came up as potential irritants with ratings of 2 and 0-2.

As is typical of COSRX, there is no perfume or fragrance.

Thoughts and results so far

My initial thoughts about the information I gathered were firstly that the pH is a little bit high for an acid cream. 4% is a nice amount of Betaine Salicylate (used in Korea because of strict rules regarding use of Salicylic Acid) but ph 4-5 is too high for the cream to be extremely efficient as an exfoliator. I thought it might be best used in addition to a stronger acid exfoliator, as it seems that this cream will most likely only provide extremely gentle overnight exfoliating. I am always way too lazy with my Blackhead Power Liquid, only using it 2-3 times a week, but I did want to keep this schedule while I tested the cream, to see the real results, instead of immediately upping my usage to complement the cream.

I have now been using the product every night for 2 weeks and I’m happy so far with my results.

One huge difference I have noticed is the smoothness of my skin- it has made a significant difference to the texture and I’m so happy about this. I feel like my skin looks…fresher? More radiant? I can’t fully describe the effect but my skin definitely looks clearer, which I’m guessing is because of the smoothing, and I think it has helped with my uneven skin tone to some extent. The slight bumpiness I often get around my hairline has also smoothed out which I’m over the moon about. It’s not noticeable to anyone else but it’s something I care about.

In addition to those results, when I’ve woken up my skin has felt beautifully moisturised- the emollients and moisturisers have really left my skin feeling so soft and hydrated in the morning. I can’t help but paw (or ‘pore’ if I’m getting punny on you) my face to feel the smooth soft results.

One aspect I sadly can’t see much difference with is my clogged pores…I’m not going to make a definitive statement until I’ve completed 4 weeks, but I don’t think the cream has helped my skin in that way. I do want to try consistently using the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid everyday, and see if using the two together gives me a better result. But for these four weeks I’m just going to stick with my lazy two or three times a week BHA use, so I can truly see the results of this cream.

Have any of you used this? How have you found it to work? Keep your eyes peeled for my final review!